Washing machine



Del, 1942- A. JAMES 2,303,468

WASHING MACHINE Filed Sept. 9, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheetkl l l INVENTOR Lew/s, :fo/nest HY i ZITORNEY Dec. 1, 1942.

L. A. JAMES WASHING MACHINE Filed Sept. 9, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ff?? 1 i 44 3/ 6 #L90 j 76 42) x i347 ZZ 4?' 50 INVENTo/e ew/s H. Jar/'ves Y 64 Hamam 60 62 AT RNEY Patented Dec. l, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT yo1=1=tcE WASHING MACHINE Application September 9, 1939, Serial No. 294,163

3 Claims.

This invention relates to washing machines, and has for its principal object to provide a washing machine of simple, compact construction and having minimum of working parts.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a washing machine of efficient, quiet operation to provide a washing machine of rigid. light weight construction; to provide a Washing machine structure free of lateral projections and exposed driving elements; to provide a washing machine having a balanced appearance and neat construction; and to provide a washing machine construction having smaller over-all dimensions for a given capacity.

It is also an object of the invention to provide for mounting the gear box or casing within the tub so as to effect the shortest possible hookup with the washing machine agitator and wringer.

A further object of the invention is to mount the actuating mechanism in such manner that it does not interfere with application of a heater to the bottom of the tub.

In accomplishing these and other objects of th invention, as hereinafter pointed out, I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a washing machine constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is -a detail vertical section through the portion of th washing machine containing the driving mechanism.

IFig.. 3 is a plan view of the end of the washing -machine having the driving mechanism, a part of the cover being broken away to illustrate the driving mechanism.

Figs. 4 is a cross-section on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a similar cross-section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the cover venclosing the actuating mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the case containing the actuating mechanism, and showing the driving connection for the agitator.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

I designates a washing machine embodying the features of the present invention, and which includes a substantially rectangular housing hav- 5 ing side walls 2-3, and end walls 4-5 connected by angle-shapedv corner legs 6. 'I'he legs 6 are connected at points in spaced relation with the lower edges of the side walls by longitudinal members 8, which in turn support cross-bars 9 and I to mount a motor Il. The upper ends of the legs are connected by a rectangular frame I2, the side rails of which are arranged coextensiveiy `,with the side and end Walls of the housing.

a way I3 for accommodating a drive belt 20, con- 'necting a drive pulley 2l on the motor with a driven pulley 22 of the actuating mechanism now to be described.

The major part of the actuating mechanism is 10 enclosed in a casing 23 that is suspended within the frame I2. The casing 23 includes a shallow pan-like member conforming in length to the inner width of the housing and having a bottom 24, side walls 25-26, and end walls 21-28, the

casing being of sufficient width to accommodate a worm gearing 29, a pitman 30, and a crank 3|. 'Ihe casing is secured snugly within the end of the frame l2 and forms 'a brace for enhancing the rigidity of the washing machine structure.

The worm-gearing includes a worm 32 iixed on a cross-shaft 33 rotatably mounted in suitable bearings 34-35 on the sides of the pan, and which has an end projecting into the Way I9 to carry1 the pulley 22. Meshing with the worm is a worm gear 36 rotatably mounted on a vertically arranged stub shaft 31 carried by the bottom of the pan. Located eccentrically on the upper side of the gear is a wristpin 38 for operating the pitman 3U. One end of the wrist pin projects above the pitman and connects with an arm 39, xed to a stub shaft 40 rotatable in a bearing 4I in a cover 42 for the pan and in axial alignment with the stub shaft 31..

The wrist pin thus forms a driving connection for. the stub shaft to effect operation of a .wringer 43 that is connected therewith. The wringer 43 is mounted upon a boss-like extension of the cover and is. adapted to swing through a horizontal plane as in conventional wringer constructions.

Located in the opposite end of the pan, and

rotatably mounted in aligning bearings 44 and 45, is a shaft 46 carrying the crank-arm 3l, and which is adapted to oscillate through a pin and notch connection with the pitman, the pin being 45 designated 41 and the notch 48, as' shown in Fig. 3. It is thus obvious that vrotation of the worm gear eiects reciprocationv of the pitman to oscillate the shaft 46. The lower end of the shaft 46 projects into the tub a suflicient distance to 0 mount a crank-arm 49, carrying a wrist pin 50 on which is pivotally mounted one end of a connecting rod 5 l. The opposite end of the connecting rod is pivotally connected with a pin 52 mounted on the plate-like carriage 53, having 55 its opposite side edges 54 and 55 slidably engaged in parallel groove tracks 56 secured to the bottom of the pan, the tracks being arranged in parallel relation with the end wall of the tub.

Connected by the pin 52.- and also by a sim- Inset within the housing is a tub I3, having side 60 ilar pin 51, is a yoke-like head 53, having Yspaced ears 69 and 6U carrying a wrist pin 6i that is connected with the extending arm 62 of an agitator 63 by means of a link 64. The agitator connection is made by a pin 65 threaded into the arm I2.

The agitator may be of any suitable construction but preferably includes a bar carried at the end of-the arm 62, and a similar arm (not shown), at the opposite end of the tub, to sweep across the semicircular bottom thereof in the same manner as the agitator described in my copending application Serial No. 199,423, filed April 1, 1938 which has maturediinto Patent No. 2,164,277 of June 27, 1939.

In order to disengage the connecting rod from the pin on the crank-arm 3|, the under side of the cover carries a guide arm 66 pivoted substantially over the worm as indicated at 61. The free end of the arm is connected by a spring 68 with an arm 69 pivoted to a shank 1U of an operating lever 1|. The arm 66 is adapted to move over dead center position with respect to the pivotal mounting of the arm 69. The arm 66 has a guide groove 12 which engages a pin 13 on the pitman so that when the guide arm is swung in one direction the pitman is disengaged from the crank-pin to disconnect the driving connection, and when the guide arm is swung in the opposite direction .the connecting rod is returned to driving engagement with the pin. Movement of the arm 69 is limited by stops 14 and 15 projecting inwardly from the cover.

Attention is directed to' the fact that the bearings within the washer are bushed with sleeves whichare of such material as to avoid blackening of the clothes should they come in contact therewith.

The cover is mounted on the open top of the pan and secured in place by fastening devices such as screws 16. The plate, including the pan,

thus closes a portion of one end of the tub, and the remaining portion is closed by a removable cover 11 whereby access is had to the washing chamber.

In operating a washing machine constructed.

and assembled as described, the motor drives the belt 20 to actuate the pulley 22 and rotate the worm 32. The worm 32 rotates the worm gear which causes gyration of the Wrist pin 38 to eiect reciprocation of the connecting rod 30. During reciprocation of the connecting rod 3D, the notched end thereof engages with the pin of the crank-arm and causes the crank-arm to move in an arcuate path, thereby oscillating the Y shaft 46 and effecting similar movement of the arm 49. Thismovement of the arm 49 causes the carriage to reciprocate on its guide tracks through the connecting link I. The carriage thenactuates the agitator through the link 64.

In order to disengage the agitator from driven engagement with the motor, the operating arm 69 is swung in a clockwise direction (Fig. 3), to cause similar arcuate movement of the guide arm 66. This movement of the arm 69 stretches the spring 68 across top dead center with respect to the pivot point of the guide arm and sufficiently tensions the spring so that as the arm swings across dead center position this stored up tension acts to flip the guide arm against the lug 14 and disengage the notch from the pin 41. When it is desired to again drive the agitator, the operating arm I9 is moved in the opposite direction, whereupon the spring snaps the guide arm against the stop 16 and. the notch 46 registers with the pin 41. Prior to registration, the notched edge of the connecting rod may ride against the pin 41, but when the notch registers therewith, the spring 69 will flip the guide arm so that the notch seats the pinand again effects driving engagement of the agitator.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided a simple, inexpensive washing machine construction which is of compact character, and free of lateral projections. It is also obvious that the structure is of pleasing appearance and there are no exposed driving parts.

It is also apparent that by insetting the case which carries the actuating mechanism, into the rim of the tub, the entire structure is braced thereby without using additional corner braces and the like.

The bottom of the tub is also free and clear of the driving mechanism so that a burner may be applied thereunder if desired.

Insetting of the gear casing within the top of the tub allows for the shortest possible driving connections between the agitator and wringer, thereby simplifying the connections and reducing cost of the machine.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A washing machine including a housing, a tub supported within the housing and having an end wall spaced from an end wall of the housing, a case inset within the tub having a side closely engaging said spaced end wall of the tub and ends engaging the adjacent side walls of the tub to maintain the form of said tub, an agitator oscillatably mounted in the tub, oscillating means carried by the case, means connecting the oscillating means with said agitator, and means extending in the spacing between said end walls for driving the oscillating means.

2. In a washing machine, an elongated substantially rectangular tub having an open top, a rectangular gear case inset within said open top of the tub at one end of the tub and having three of the side walls thereof closely engaging corresponding walls of the tub to form a brace for maintaining rectilinear formation of the tub and having a side wall spaced from the corresponding wall of the tub to provide an insert opening through which articles are placed in the tub, and a cover closing said opening.

3. In a washing machine, a tub providing a washing chamber, a gear case inset into one end of the tub at the top thereof and extending over a portion of the washing chamber, an agitator in the tub having an actuating arm below the gear case, an oscillatory shaft mounted in the lgear case for oscillation on a vertical axis and having an end projecting through the bottom of the gear case into the washing chamber, a crankarm on the projecting end of the shaft, a, cross head, means oscillatably mounting the cross head on the bottom of the gear case, a link connecting the cross head with the crank arm, a link connecting the cross head with the actuating arm of the agitator, and means in the gear case for oscillating said shaft.

LEWIS A. JAMES. 

